Handle assembly for portable bags



Nov. 6, 1956 A. 1. KLOTZ HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE BAGS Filed Dec.-

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS /I;IIIIIIIIIIIIIII HANDLE ASSEMBLY FQR PGRTABLE BAGS Abraham 1. Klotz, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application December 16, 1954, Serial No. 475,634

4 Claims. ((31. l5012) This invention relates to an improved handle assembly for portable bags and luggage such as brief cases and bags, handbags and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved handle assembly of the above type which is convenient to grasp in the hand when in use but is relatively compact and occupies a minimum amount of space when not in use; which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and simple to install and assemble; and which is sturdy and strong so as to withstand considerable use and abuse with a minimum amount of wear.

My invention contemplates the provision of an improved handle assembly for portable packages and luggage in which the handle member is retained and supported by means of an envelope disposed inside of the luggage and which, in turn, is secured in a seam or joint provided between the structural parts of the luggage. The arrangement is such that the handle may be readily assembled with the envelope and also the handle may shift from an outwardly projecting position, where it is conveniently grasped in the hands of the user, to a retracted position substantially flush with the surface of the luggage.

Further advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawing in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a bag or case having a handle assembly embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view showing the manner in which the handle member may be inserted in and assembled with the envelope after the envelope has been secured in place;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view in the direction of the arrows on the line 33 of Fig. 2 in which one handle member is shown in projected position in full lines in the left-hand side of the figure and the other handle is shown in full lines in retracted position and in dotted lines in projected position on the right-hand side;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the envelope used in my handle assembly; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view in the direction of the arrows on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawing I have shown a pair of handle assemblies 19 combined with a portable bag 11, such as a brief bag or ring-binder case. As indicated above, my improved handle assembly may be used with any desired type of portable bags or luggage and the specific bag shown is only intended for purposes of illustration. The bag has face panels 12 integrally connected together attheir lower ends and suitably connected along their side and top edges as by means of stitching to the panel strips 14. The confronting edges of the panel strips 14 are provided with suitable inter-engaging fastening means such as the slide fastener teeth 15 whereby the bag or case may be opened or closed.

The bag or case, as illustrated and described herein, does not per se constitute my invention and bags of varying and differing constructions may of course be employed. The two handle assemblies are similar to each other and a description of one will sufiice as a disclosure of both. Each handle assembly comprises an envelope 16 made of suitable material such as leather, fabric or a tough, flexible plastic. The envelope comprises two panels or plies 17 and 18 which are preferably of generally rectangular shape with the panel 18 being somewhat larger from top to bottom than the panel 17 so that the upper edge of panel 18 projects above panel 17. The panels or plies 17 and 18 are preferably secured together along their side and bottom edges as shown by suitable means such as stitching or an adhesive, or in the case of a thermoplastic material by heat sealing.

The top edge of the envelope is provided with a pair of handle openings 19 which are spaced from each other in accordance with the width of the handle member. The intermediate portion of the upper edge between the handle openings may be closed or, as shown, it is surficient to close the upper ends at the two spaced points at the inner ends of the handle openings by suitable means such as the illustrated staples 26.

In assembling the envelope 16 with the bag the protruding upper edge of the ply or panel 18 may be inserted between the seams or joints of a convenient portion of the bag, as the bag is assembled, thereby avoiding any extra operation in securing the envelope in place and swingingly supporting it from its upper edge. In the illustrated embodiment, the envelopes it; of the two handle assemblies are secured adjacent the center of the top of the bag in the seam between the face panels 12 and the panel strips 34. In Fig. 3, it will be seen that this is conveniently accomplished by simply inserting the upper edge of the ply 18 between the edges of the assembly adjacent the point of connection of a panel strip 14 and a face panel 12 and extending the line of stitching through all of the plies of material. When the envelope has thus been secured in place the handle members 22 may be readily assembled with the envelope in the manner shown in Fig. 2. In this connection, the panel strips 14 should be provided with apertures 23 in alignment with the handle openings 19 of the envelope. The handle members may be of any desired construction. Thus, they may be molded from plastics or they may be built up from a suitable core member with a covering of leather, fabric or other flexible material.

The illustrated handles are molded from plastic material and are generally bail shape. Thus, they have a central horizontal gripping portion of a size and shape to be conveniently grasped in the hand of the user. The opposite ends of the gripping portion has substantially vertical connecting portions which terminate in the inturned substantially horiontal retaining portions 24. The retaining portions project towards each other in substantial alignment and their inner ends are preferably spaced from each other as shown, to facilitate assembly of the handle.

In assembling the handle members with the envelope the handle member is held in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the retaining portion 24 is inserted through one of the apertures 23 through the handle opening 19 in the envelope and the handle is then turned to upright position with the retaining portion 24 extending beneath the connected or closed portion 20 of the upper envelope edge. The retaining member 24 at the opposite end of the handle can then be distorted sulficiently to permit its insertion through the aperture 23 and the handle opening 19 at the opposite end of the envelope. In this connection the handle should be sufiiciently flexible to permit this distortion but, at the same time, should be rigid or stiif enough to provide proper support for the bag or case.

When the handle has been thus assembled, it may be shifted downwardly to the position indicated in full lines i atented Nov. 6-, 1956- in'the right-hand side of Fig. 3 when it is not in use.

cent'andlie in substantial contact with the facepanels 12, with'the resultthatthey consume .a minimum amount of'space in the interior of thebagor case.

Whenit is desired to use the handle, it maybe readily lifted upwardly to the position shown in full lines inFig. 1 and in'the left-hand side of Fig. 3 and in dotted'lines at the right-hand side of Fig. 3. By employing a envelope which is swingingly'attached adjacent its upper 'edge to'rthe side and strip panel assembly it is'of course obvious that the -handlewhen projected-will have a greater latitude of movement towards and away from each otherso that'the bag may be carried with maximum comfort. Also, by thus housing the inner ends of the handle assemblies in a separate envelope, wear to the adjacent'faces of the side panels will be minimized if not entirely eliminated.

'Whilc additional comfort and strength are'obtained by using'two handle assemblies in the manner shown in the drawing, it should be understood that under certain cir cumstances a single handle assembly would suiiice. Where two handle assemblies are em loyed both handle members are projected when in use and are retracted when not in use.

'While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment'of my invention, it should be understood that modifications may be made therein without'departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

.I claim:.

1. The combination with a portable bag of the type having panels connected together along their edges of an improved handle assembly comprising a separate handle retaining envelope swingingly secured inside the bag at the point of connection between the panels and'having spacedhandle receiving openings at its upper edge, said envelope having closed portions adjacent'the inner ends of .said handle openings anda handle member having a hand gripping portion with supporting portions adjacent the opposite ends of the gripping portion andextending downwardly through the handle openingsin the envelope,

and retaining portions projecting angularly with'respect to and secured to said supporting portions and disposed inside the envelope beneath the aforesaid closedportions of the envelope.

2. The combination with a portable bag of the type having panels connected together adjacent the top of the bag with one of the panels having handle receiving apertures therein of an improved handle assembly comprising: a separate handle retaining envelope disposed inside the bag and formed of two-plies of flexible material secured together along their side and bottom edges with one ply extending upwardly above the other plyand being swingingly secured to said panels at the point of connection therebetween, said envelope having spaced handle receiving openings between the two plies at the upper edge thereof in alignment with the handle receiving aper-' tures in the panel and having closed portions adjacent the inner ends of said handle openings; and ahandle member having a hand gripping portion disposed outside the bag with supporting portions adjacent the opposite ends of the gripping portion and extending downwardly through the apertures in the panel and'the handle openings in the envelope, and retaining portions projecting angularly with respect: to and secured to said supporting portions and disposed inside'the envelope beneath *the aforesaid closed portions of the envelope'whereby the handle member may be shifted from an operative posiseparate tion projecting substantiallyoutwardly from said envelope and bag to an: inoperative position partially retracted inside said envelope with the gripping portion substantially flush with'the bag. a

3. A handle assembly for portable luggage c01npris ing: a separate handle retaining envelope formed of two plies of flexible material secured together ,along their sideandbottom edges with one ply extending upwardly above the other ply, said envelopeibeing adapted to'have its upper edges swingingly attached :tolthepanels embraced within an article of luggage and said envelope having spaced handle receiving openings between the two plies at the upper edge thereof and having closed portions adjacent the inner ends of said handle openings; and a handle member having a hand gripping portion disposed outside said envelope andformed with supporting portions adjacent the opposite ends thereof which extend downwardly through the handle openings in the envelope, said supporting portions of the handle member being provided with inturned retaining portions projecting towards each other and disposed inside the envelope whereby the handle member may be shifted between operative position projecting substantially outwardly from the envelope and inoperative position retracted substantially within said envelope.

4. The combination with a portable bag of the type having panelsconnected together adjacent the top of the bag with one of the panels having handle receiving apertures therein of an improvedhandle assembly compising; a handle retaining envelope separate from the ma-' ing a hand gripping portion disposed outside the bag with supporting portions adjacent the. opposite ends of the gripping portion and extending downwardly through the apertures in the panel, and thehandle openings in the envelope and retaining portions projecting angularly with respect to and secured to said supporting portions and disposed inside the envelope beneath the aforesaid closed portions of the envelope whereby .the handle member may "be shifted from an operative position projecting substantially outwardly'from said envelope and bag to an inoperative position partially retra cted inside said envelope with the gripping portion substantially the bag. 7

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENIS' "2,053,630 Plotkin .Sept. 8, 1936 2,069,255 Litton Feb; 2, 1937 2,096,895 Halpin .Oct. 26, 1937 2,181,208 Satz NOV. 28, 1939 2,536,169 Gray Jan. 2,-1951 2,589,438 Schneider Mar. 18, 1952 flush with 

